General
Kano, Adamawa to Operationalize, Adopt FOI Act
By Destiny Ugorji
Two Northern Nigerian States, Kano and Adamawa, have expressed their readiness to adopt and operationalize the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011.
Kano State Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Mohammad Auwal Na’iya, made the state government’s position known while delivering a goodwill message on Thursday at an FOI Assessment and Awareness joint Roundtable of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Civil Society organisations in the State.
According to him, the Kano state government is in the process of adopting the Freedom of Information Act, with a view to empowering the citizens to participate actively in governance.
“Kano State government is committed to transparency and accountability and is in the process of adopting the Freedom of Information law in the State. The state government has initiated a number of processes to promote transparency, accountability and prudence in governance.
“The Kano State government has agreed to adopt and implement the Freedom of Information Act through the Open Government Partnership (OGP) process which the State has signed unto. The adoption of the FOI Act in the State is being subjected to wide consultation and will go through the legislative process and passed into law”, he disclosed.
Adding his voice, Executive Chairman, Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC) Alhaji Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado further highlighted the efforts of the present administration in the state to entrench transparency and accountability.
“The government of Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in Kano State is doing so much to ensure that governance is transparent. We are interested in the implementation of the FOI Act in Kano State and the government at the highest level in the state is committed to it, since it will promote openness in governance. The State has signed up to the Open Government Partnership, which is a transparency initiative. Access to Information is one of the pillars of the OGP and we are committed to it. The present administration created the Public Complaints and Anti-corruption Commission, among other reformatory initiatives. The present administration is sincere and wants the citizens to participate actively in the business of governance.”
The Roundtable was a 3-day event, organized by the Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria (FOICN) and Media Initiative against Injustice, Violence and Corruption (MIIVOC), with support from the European Union, through the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, managed by the British Council.
The event which took place at Tahir Guest Palace Hotel, Kano, had participants drawn from state and non-state actors in the state. The primary objective was to assess the level of awareness and implementation of, and compliance with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011 in the State.
In his presentations on: Understanding the Freedom of Information Act 2011 and Making Requests for Information Under the Freedom of Information Act, Chairman, Board of Governors, Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria, Dr, Walter Duru described the Freedom of Information Act as a veritable tool for the entrenchment of transparency in the state, even as he called on stakeholders to collaborate to ensure its effective implementation.
He commended the Kano State government for committing to FOI implementation, even as he urged Civil Society organisations in the state to take advantage of the development to participate actively in governance, by testing the Act in the state.
Also, in his presentation on: What is Freedom of Information and its importance, Secretary, Board of the Freedom of Information Coalition, Nigeria, Ayode Longe described freedom of Information as the bedrock and foundation of all human rights, urging citizens to participate actively in the drive towards the operationalization of the FOI Act in the state.
Earlier in his presentation, Anti-corruption Programme Manager of the ROLAC programme, Mr. Emmanuel Uche described the Freedom of Information Act as central to every anti-corruption initiative, even as he commended the Kano State government for embracing the Act.
He reiterated the readiness of the ROLAC programme to support further steps that will enhance FOI implementation in the state and beyond.
The roundtable recorded various sessions, comprising presentations, situation assessment through administration of questionnaires, feedback through questions and comments and viewing of a video on how members of a rural Indian community called Rajasthan successfully used the country’s FOI law to hold their elected officials to account for funds that they administered, and the ripple effect it had in the State which entrenched transparency.
Other highlights of the Roundtable are the development of Action Points, outlining next steps, interactive sessions, advocacy visits and a Communique issued at the end of the event. Other important persons at the event are: Anti-corruption programme officer, Pwanakei Dala, head of ROLAC Kano Office, Ibrahim Bello, among others.
Kano is one of the four focal states of the RoLAC programme. The other three are: Adamawa, Lagos and Anambra states.
Similarly, the Adamawa State government has expressed its readiness to operationalize the Freedom of Information Act in the state.
Adamawa state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Bala Sanga disclosed this while delivering a goodwill message during a similar Roundtable for Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as Civil Society Organisations in Adamawa state, recently.
He affirmed that the FOI Act was germane to democracy and good governance, even as he described the present Adamawa state government as transparent. He emphasized that government officials serve the people and should therefore be accountable to them.
“The present Adamawa state government is transparent and willing to do things right. We are in total support and willing to operationalize the Freedom of Information Act in the state. Apart from the FOI Act, public officials have a responsibility to be transparent. If public officials have nothing to hide, then they have nothing to fear about an access to information law.”
He further promised to advise the state Executive Council to ensure the operationalization of the Freedom of Information Act in the State, even as he urged the organisers of the event to transmit the Action Points from the meeting to his office for necessary actions.
The next port of call for the FOI Assessment Roundtable is Anambra State, expected to hold in the next two weeks. The FOI Assessment Roundtable is a prelude to further interventions aimed at pursuing the vigorous implementation of the FOI Act, with a view to entrenching transparency in governance, while empowering citizens to take advantage of the Act to hold the government accountable.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The chief executive of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, has disclosed that his organisation remitted about N10 trillion into the purse of the federation last year.
Speaking on Wednesday during a presentation on NNPC Limited’s 2024 revenue performance and 2025 projections to the National Assembly’s joint committee on Finance, Mr Kyari the NNPC was the highest taxpayer in the country in 2024 with the N10 trillion paid to the nation, claiming the state-oil company remains the only in Nigeria to publish 100 per cent of its account statements annually.
The NNPC boss also called for a forensic audit of the funds spent by the company on fuel price stabilization and ensuring uninterrupted petrol supply between January and September 2024.
“Until October 1, 2024, NNPCL, as mandated by the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), acted as the supplier of last resort for fuel supply,” he boasted.
“A forensic audit is needed to determine the financial obligations of NNPCL and any owed entities. Our transactional accounts are transparent and published annually, reinforcing our status as the top taxpayer and the highest contributor of royalties and dividends,” the NNPC chief added.
Regarding the company’s 2025 revenue projections, Mr Kyari indicated that a definitive figure would be provided after the upcoming board of directors meeting in two weeks, assuring the committee that the parameters for the 2025 budget were both realistic and achievable.
Recall that last year, the NNPC claimed that the 125,000 barrels per day Warri Refinery was operating at 60 per cent capacity and will focus on producing and storing critical products, including Straight Run Kerosene (SRK), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO), and heavy and light Naphtha. after the first 110 barrels per day refinery in Port Harcourt was operational.
The NNPC also noted that Kaduna Refinery and the 150,000 barrels per day second refinery in Port Harcourt will consolidate Nigeria’s position as a global energy provider.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Boko Haram must put an end to its vicious killing spree in the northern part of Nigeria, the Amnesty International (AI) has declared.
In a statement to condemn the killing of more than 40 civilians by the terrorist group, AI said Boko Haram must be held to account for its years of atrocities, including war crimes in the country.
On Sunday, January 12, 2025, members of the terror organisation attacked the victims on farming communities in Borno State, killing the inhabitants at close range.
In the statement, AI condemned in strong terms “the executions of these civilians which, once again, shows Boko Haram’s utter disregard for the sanctity of human life and for rules of international humanitarian law.”
“Boko Haram must be held to account for its years of atrocities, including war crimes,” the organisation declared in the statement.
“Our findings show that Boko Haram rounded up the farmers and fishermen, separated the men and shot them at close range.
“Those who attempted to flee were pursued and killed while dozens more were injured. A search for dead bodies is still ongoing while a mass burial is being planned for those killed.
“As well as killings targeting civilians, Boko Haram continues to abduct women and girls and extensively loot property.
“The fact that such atrocities remain commonplace shows that more needs to be done to protect civilians and ensure that families of victims receive reparation and justice,” it stated.
Over the weekend, Boko Haram fighters executed over 40 farmers and fishermen at Dumba community near Baga Borno state northeast.
A resident of Baga told AI that dozens of people have been injured and many are missing. Those killed have been buried.
Since 2020, Boko Haram has been targeting farmers and farmers around the Lake Chad. The armed conflict in northeast Nigeria has been ongoing since at least 2011 and it has created a humanitarian crisis, with more than 2 million people displaced, according to the United Nations.
Amnesty International has repeatedly documented crimes under international law and other serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law committed by both Boko Haram and the Nigerian military in the context of the conflict in northeast Nigeria.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The United States government has renovated the laboratory of the Nigerian National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Lagos as part of continued efforts to boost Nigeria’s counter-narcotics efforts.
The US government, through the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), handed over the facility to the agency to complement efforts.
This follows the investment of approximately $500,000 by the American government to modernize and equip the chemical forensic laboratory at the NDLEA zonal office in Lagos in 2024.
The upgraded laboratory, now equipped with cutting-edge technology, enhances the NDLEA’s capacity to analyse suspicious substances and process evidence from crime scenes and suspects.
Acting US Consul General, Ms JoEllen Gorg formally handed over the keys to the new office space to NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Mohammed Buba Marwa, during a ceremony attended by representatives from AFRICOM and the DEA.
Acting Consul General Gorg noted that the donation of a new office, equipped with a solar power system, represents a significant step forward in US-Nigeria security cooperation.
She noted that the new facility will provide NDLEA officers with a secure and professional environment to carry out critical investigative functions, including processing detainees and conducting post-arrest interviews.
“The U.S.-Nigeria security partnership remains strong. This donation is the latest example of the robust and productive cooperation between the U.S. government and the NDLEA,” the Acting Consul General said.
“Over the years, our joint efforts have helped build the capacity of Nigerian authorities to disrupt drug trafficking networks, dismantle clandestine meth labs, and conduct advanced forensic analyses of synthetic drugs,” she added.
On his part, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Marwa lauded the US-Nigeria security cooperation in the fight against illicit drugs and countering narcotics trafficking.
He described the US as a steadfast ally in Nigeria’s fight against drug-related crimes and noted that the collaboration has significantly enhanced the NDLEA’s operational efficiency.
Since the establishment of the NDLEA in 1990, the US Mission to Nigeria has partnered with the agency to combat narcotics trafficking which it has done through training in intelligence, evidence collection, management, and tactical skills, including equipment donation.
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